Gus Williams, NY hoops great who led Sonics to NBA тιтle, ᴅᴇᴀᴅ at 71

Former NBA point guard Gus Williams, who helped bring the only championship to the SuperSonics in 1979, died Wednesday at the age of 71, according to the Seattle Times.

A cause of death was not revealed for the Mount Vernon, N.Y. native.

Williams, who earned the nickname “Wizard” for his scoring and speed, was living in a care facility in Baltimore at the time of his death following a stroke he suffered in February 2020.

Gus Williams of the Seattle Supersonics poses for a portrait circa 1982 in Seattle, Washington.
Gus Williams of the Seattle Supersonics poses for a portrait circa 1982 in Seattle, Washington.
Gus Williams #1 of the Seattle Sonics drives to the basket against Kevin Stacon #27 of the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1978 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Mᴀssachusetts.
Gus Williams #1 of the Seattle Sonics drives to the basket against Kevin Stacon #27 of the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1978 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Mᴀssachusetts.

Seattle SuperSonics legend Gus Williams holds the 1979 NBA Championship Trophy between Governor Gary Locke (L) and retired Sonics announcer Bob Blackburn in front of the State Capitol on March 24, 2004 in Olympia, Washington.

SuperSonics legend Gus Williams holds the 1979 NBA Championship Trophy between Governor Gary Locke (L) and retired Sonics announcer Bob Blackburn in front of the State Capitol on March 24, 2004 in Olympia, Wash
Williams’ last known public appearance was at a Mariners game at T-Mobile Park, where the team honored the SuperSonics on June 1, 2019 for the 40th anniversary of their NBA championship in a pregame ceremony — which included his Seattle teammates, Dennis Awtrey, Fred Brown, Tom LaGarde, Jack Sikma, Wally Walker and coach Lenny Wilkens.

“His energy was always so positive and his sense of humor was always there,” Walker said. “He got along with everybody. It was always fun with Gus, and a lot of laughs.

“He had a lot of sayings that were just funny. One of his was, ‘There were only two kinds of people, the quick and the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.’ And of course, he was the quick. He was lightning quick and fast, both, and he was a one-man fast break. He got the ball and he weaved through traffic. He was just so fast. No one ever caught him.”

(L-R) Former NBA guard Fred Brown, Warriors President Rick Welts and former NBA guard Gus Williams during the 2017 WNBA All-Star Game on July 22, 2017 at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington.
(L-R) Former NBA guard Fred Brown, Warriors President Rick Welts and former NBA guard Gus Williams during the 2017 WNBA All-Star Game on July 22, 2017 at KeyArena in Seattle, Washington.

Two years prior, Williams attended the 2017 WNBA All-Star Game and he posed for a pH๏τo with Brown and former Warriors president Rick Welts at KeyArena in Seattle.

Williams spent six seasons with the SuperSonics and the team retired his No. 1 jersey during a game against the Denver Nuggets at KeyArena on March 26, 2004.

SEATTLE - MARCH 26: Former Sonic Gus Williams #1 holds up his jersey during a halftime celebration to retire his jersey at the Seattle SuperSonics v Denver Nuggets game on March 26, 2004 at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington.
Former Sonic Gus Williams #1 holds up his jersey during a halftime celebration to retire his jersey at the Seattle SuperSonics v Denver Nuggets game on March 26, 2004 at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington.

Williams played two seasons with Golden State after the Warriors selected him in the second round, 20th overall, out of USC in the 1975 NBA draft.

The Trojans retired his No. 10 jersey in 2016.

Williams averaged 26.7 points during Seattle’s тιтle run in 1979, and he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated that year.

Seattle SuperSonics Legend Gus Williams makes his entrance at a community basketball court dedication during the Sonics Legends Tour on November 4, 2006 at Van ᴀsselt Community Center in Seattle, Washington.
Seattle SuperSonics Legend Gus Williams makes his entrance at a community basketball court dedication during the Sonics Legends Tour on November 4, 2006 at Van ᴀsselt Community Center in Seattle, Washington.

Williams made waves when he sat out the entire next season due to a contract dispute with Seattle.

He returned for the 1981-82 season and averaged a career-high 23.4 points per game, en route to being named the NBA Comeback Player of the Year.

Related Posts

f

c

Marcus Jordan sped away from cops, name-dropped dad before troubling DUI arrest, dashcam video shows

Marcus Jordan sped away from cops, name-dropped dad before troubling DUI arrest, dashcam video shows

New dashcam footage shows the police pursuit Marcus Jordan was involved in before being arrested for DUI by the Maitland Police Department on Tuesday morning. Jordan, the…

After years of  million restoration project, the Palestinian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry unveiled one of the largest floor mosaics in the world, in the West Bank city of Jericho.

After years of $12 million restoration project, the Palestinian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry unveiled one of the largest floor mosaics in the world, in the West Bank city of Jericho.

Resembling a fine carpet, the vast mosaic covers 8,998 square feet of Hisham’s Palace, an Ummayad desert castle dating from to the eighth century. One tableau includes…

The Thracian Chariot: A 2,000-Year-Old Marvel from the Realm of Mythology

The Thracian Chariot: A 2,000-Year-Old Marvel from the Realm of Mythology

A Glimpse into an Ancient Civilization In the heart of rural Bulgaria, an extraordinary discovery was made – a 2,000-year-old wooden chariot, intricately decorated with scenes from…

Ancient Cave Art in Madhya Pradesh: Signs of Possible Encounters with Otherworldly Beings

Ancient Cave Art in Madhya Pradesh: Signs of Possible Encounters with Otherworldly Beings

01 Th11 In the Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh, India, a remarkable discovery has emerged: 10,000-year-old cave paintings that hint at possible ancient encounters with beings beyond…

Ancient giant revealed: Archaeologists unearth giant skeleton and ‘mobile phone’, revealing incredible evidence of a forgotten era.mariko

Ancient giant revealed: Archaeologists unearth giant skeleton and ‘mobile phone’, revealing incredible evidence of a forgotten era.mariko

Such archeology known as forbidden, because if the evidence have been accepted by official science, it would be necessary to change the books on the evolution and…